Process of making alkyl ethers of aromatic bodies.



UNI ED STATES PA EN OFFICE.

MAX ENGELMANN, or EL BnnrnL ny'tinnnixr, sstoxou 'ro iu uuuxrinrumax yonfu FRIED'R. AYERa co, or ELBERFELD, GERMAXY. conroui'riox' or osuuixr.

ROCESS OF MAKING ALKYLETHERS or AROMATIG nonrns Application filed February 23 1907. Serial No. 353,969.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au 20, 1907.

To all whom.- it may'concern Be it'known'that 1, MAX ENGELMANX, doctor of philosophy, chemist, a citizen of the'GermanEinpire. residing at Elberfeld, Germany, Kingdom of Prussia. have -1() taining one or several phenolic hydroxyl groups.

The alkylation is effected by treating the said compounds with the nitroso derivatives of alkylic ureas and alkaline agents. By this treatment the hydrogens of the (OH) groups are replaced by the alkyl groups of the nitroso urea compounds which are used. From monodior poly-hydroxy compounds mono-, diand poly-others can be obtained.

In order to illustrate the new process more fully the following examples are given, the parts being by weight; j i Example A. A solution of 2 parts of sodium hydroxidin a small quantity of water is added to a suspension of 15 parts of morphin in 100 parts of methyl alcohol. 6 parts of nitroso monomethyl urea are then slowly introduced into, the solution cooled to 0 C. After the 4 .teaction is complete the methyl alcohol is distilled off, rcaustic'soda solution is added, and the codein is iso- .;'lated by extraction with benzene from which it is obtained in a purestate. The reaction probably-takes place in accordance with the following equation:

, Example C. 55 parts of nitroso monomethyl urea are added to a solution of 55 parts of pyrocatechin in 2000 parts of ethyl alcohol, the mixture is cooled to 0 C. v and a solution of 20 parts of NaOH in a small quantity v of water is slowly run into the solution. After the reaction is complete, it is filtered, the alcohol is distilled off and the pyrocatechin monomethyl ether (guaiacol) is purified by a fractionaldistillation in 'vacuo, The

, reaction probably takes place in accordance with the ErumpleD. 12-lpartsof guaiacol aredis'solvcd in 2000 parts of nn-thylic alcohol. and to this solution H0 parts M. P. 90) are added. This of nitroso dimeihyl urea mixture is cooled to 0 C.. and a concentrated watery solution of 160 parts of hydroxid of barium is added slowly while stirring. The incthylic alcohol tlicn distilled off, the residue is shaken out with ether, and the dinicthyl ether of pyrocatcchincalled veratrolis left-after distilling off the ether. The resultf ing product is purified by fractional distillation. The g reaction probably takes place in accordance with the following equation:

' Example E. 126 parts of pyrogallol are dissolved in 2000 parts of niethylic alcohol, and 120 parts of concentrated soda-lye are added. To this solution, cooled to 0 (1., 400 parts of nitroso diethyl urea. are added. After the end of the reaction the methylic alcohol is distilled off, the residue is shaken out with ether, and after distilling off the ether, the triethylother of pyrogallol is left back. The resulting product is purified by fractional distillation and crystallization. The reaction probably takes place in accordance with the following equation:

O H (OH) +3C N O H, +3NaOH= O H (OC H +6N+3NH.C H COONa+3H O. Other aromatic hydroxyl substituted hydrocarbons, such as phenol or its derivatives, other naphthols, dioxynaphthalenes, anthrol; etc., or other alkaline compounds, such as or the like, may be used. If these alkaline compounds are employed, quantities corresponding to one molecule in the equations given above must at least be used;

generally speaking an excess doesno harm.

Having now described my invention and in what manner the same is to -be performed, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. The process of preparing alkyl ethers of the aromatic series, which process consists in treating hydroxytsubstituted hydrocarbons containing phenolic hydroxyl groups with nitroso derivatives of alkylic ureas and alkaline compounds, substantially as described.

2. The process of preparing alkyl-ethers of-morphin, slsts in treating morphln with nitroso monomethyl-nrea 10 which process consists in treating niorphin with nitroso and alkali, substantially as described. derivatives of alkylic nreus and alkaline compounds, snb- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in stantially as described. the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

3. The process of preparing codein, which process cona i A I; \Y'. sists in treating morphin with nitroso derivatives of l EzNbEbu'h \I [L s] methylic ureas and alkaline compounds, substantially as Witnesses:

described. O'r'ro KUXIG,

4. The process ofpreparing codein, which process con- 

